ADOPT A “HAPPY PLACE”

Keep Colorado Beautiful is actively seeking partners in every region of Colorado to help design, implement, and scale this program. 

ADOPT A “HAPPY PLACE”

Adopt a Happy Place is Keep Colorado Beautiful’s statewide place based stewardship program inspired by the Keep America Beautiful Love Your Happy Place movement.

This program empowers schools, businesses, neighborhoods, and community groups to adopt and care for the places they love across Colorado. When you adopt a Happy Place, you commit to keeping it clean, safe, and beautiful year round.

  • A Happy Place is any public or shared space that brings pride, connection, or joy to a community.

    Examples include:

    • Parks and playgrounds

    • School campuses

    • Trails and open space

    • Rivers and waterways

    • Downtown blocks

    • Gateways and medians

    • Scenic overlooks

    • Community gardens

    • A storm drain

    If you love it, adopt it. If you adopt it, protect it.

  • Step One: Choose Your Happy Place
     Identify a public space in your community that would benefit from ongoing care and stewardship.

    Step Two: Commit to Care
     Adopt the space for one year and commit to:

    • Hosting at least four cleanups annually

    • Monitoring your site regularly

    • Promoting litter prevention and civic pride

    • Tracking volunteer participation and impact

    Groups are encouraged to host monthly events when possible.

    Step Three: Get Equipped
     Keep Colorado Beautiful provides:

    • Official Adopt a Happy Place signage
    • Cleanup supply guidance
    • Volunteer tracking templates
    • A digital promotional toolkit
    • Recognition on our statewide impact map

    Step Four: Celebrate Your Impact
     Share your progress, inspire others, and help build a culture of pride and stewardship across Colorado.

  • Who Can Participate

    • Individuals

    • Schools and student organizations

    • Youth groups and clubs

    • Businesses and corporate teams

    • HOAs and neighborhood associations

    • Nonprofits and civic organizations

    • Faith based groups

    • Municipal departments

    Everyone in Colorado is encouraged to participate.

  • Colorado’s parks, trails, waterways, and public spaces define our quality of life. Ongoing stewardship helps:

    • Reduce litter and illegal dumping
    • Improve neighborhood pride
    • Strengthen community connection
    • Protect natural resources
    • Build long term habits of care

    Adopt a Happy Place transforms one time cleanups into lasting responsibility.

    • Adoption term is one year and may be renewed annually.

      Participating groups commit to:

      • A minimum of four cleanup events per year
      • Ongoing site monitoring
      • Submitting an annual impact summary to Keep Colorado Beautiful

  • Adopting groups receive:

    • Official signage at their adopted location
    • Website recognition
    • Social media features
    • Eligibility for statewide awards
    • Sponsor visibility opportunities where applicable

  • Ready to adopt your Happy Place?

    Apply today and become part of a statewide movement to keep Colorado clean, vibrant, and beautiful.

    Adopt. Care. Celebrate.